Nourishing Vegetable Bowl with Hemp Heart Dressing

October 23, 2016

Nourish your body, mind, and visual senses with this harvest vegetable bowl. It’s a hearty, nutritious, and delicious meal inspired by seasonal fall vegetables. I paired it with a creamy, dairy-free, anti-inflammatory dressing made from hemp hearts, ginger and turmeric. This oil-free dressing is so delicious I have been drizzling it on everything from salads to grains, and even using it as a dip for veggies.

Curious about hemp hearts? My family has been consuming hemp hearts (also known as hemp seeds) for years, so I was ecstatic when Manitoba Harvest sent me a bag to try. The nutritional benefits of hemp hearts are incredible. Not only are they high in protein, but they contain all the essential amino acids which makes hemp hearts a complete protein source. They are also great sources of fiber, iron, magnesium, calcium, zinc and vitamin E. Hemp hearts are easily digestible and contain a well-balanced ratio of omegas 3, 6, and 9 which is important for our immune systems and maintaining heart health. Lastly, they contain arginine and gamma-linolenic acid which have both been associated with a reduced risk of heart disease. Their nutty, mild flavor is unique and worked well with ginger and turmeric in this dressing (talk about an anti-inflammatory trio!).

Giant vegetable bowls are incredibly quick and easy to throw together, especially if you prepare some of your ingredients beforehand. Design your own with any variety of fall vegetables, but do try my amazing hemp heart dressing which I can’t get enough of right now. As usual, don’t forget to check out the ‘PCOS Powers’ which I list at the end of the recipe (there are many in this vegetable bowl!).

Autumn Vegetable Bowl:

1 cup Brussel sprouts

1 large carrot

1 small beet

1 cup sweet potato or yam

1 cup cooked lentils

2 handfuls organic spinach

Ginger Turmeric Hemp Heart Dressing:

¾ cup Manitoba Harvest hemp hearts

½ cup water (vary the hemp to water ratio depending on how thick you like your dressing)

Cook the lentils, Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes. I boiled the lentils and steamed the Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes. You could also roast the veggies. Steaming retains more nutrients than boiling.

Spiralize the beet and carrot. I ate these raw but they can be steamed for easier digestion. Set veggies aside.

Blend all ingredients for the dressing in a food processor until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a small jar to store in the fridge after using.

beets = good source of folate, anti-inflammatory, helps lower blood pressure, may help lower cholesterol, shown to reduce cancerous tumors in various animal models, beet leaves are high in iron (eat in moderation due to high oxalate content which can worsen gout and kidney stones)

sweet potato = anti-inflammatory, medium glycemic index food but high in fiber & studies have shown they may assist blood sugar regulation, high in beta-carotene which may improve fertility, may increase adiponectin levels in those with type 2 diabetes, shown to reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer

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Hi health-seekers and welcome! A bit about me: I'm a plant-based blogger, fitness lover, feminist, and full-time doctoral student living in Vancouver, Canada on unceded Coast Salish territory. As a research scientist, I study the effects of lifestyle (nutrition, exercise and mental health) on PCOS and women's reproductive health.

I am so glad you have tried it and have determined it is a keeper! I love the protein too, and healthy fats! Thanks for letting me know. Have you shared it with loved ones and if so, have they enjoyed it as well? <3

Who can resist these healthy, colorful vegetables dressed with a mouthwatering hemp dressing. This is my kind of comfort food. Your amazing photography makes this delectable bowl jump off the page and practically into my mouth! I’m pinning and sharing.Note: Feel free to share your veggie dishes with us at the Plant-Based Potluck Party and the Healthy Happy Green and Natural Party too! All the best to you!

This looks delicious. I am currently looking at dishes to boost the immune system and this most definitely ticks that box. Love the use of hemp hearts, I researched high protein foods for vegetarians a while ago and hemp seeds scored highly.I’ll be bookmarking this!

I’m not so fond of beets but I love how the whole vegetable bowl fits into a hearty meal. And of course, the dressing. I must try that, though I’m not sure where I would get hemp hearts. So interesting to note how turmeric is becoming so part of our daily dishes.

First of all I love the layout of your blog! It is awesome. I also just posted a dressing really similar to this on Facebook. It was a big hit so am sure this is as well. I love all the colours of the photos as well. Really nicely done!

Beautiful! I’m obsessed with plant based foods ((although I don’t always make plant based dishes))! Im terrible at making salad dressing so this meal will definitely go on my list to do. Thanks for sharing!